37° <The Jure <Trial of Vprightnefs. 1. The fcveral Callings wherein Men are ingag'd. 2. The oppofite States of Profperity or Advcrfity that are attended with fuitabl e Tcmptauons. J. The Society with whoni we are convcrfanr. 4· The Q!!ality of the Times wherein we live. 1 . ~et us fea~ch for _the prcdomi~ant S~n in the Callings wherein we are ingag'd.; for ac~ordm~ ro t!1c1r Qtahry, Te~pranons iurround us, and are likely to furprizc us. The Sp1dcr fpms Ius Web, where Files ufually pafs to entangle and cleftroy them: fo the lub. n_le Tempter lays lus Snares _in our Calhngs \~herein we arc converfant. John the Baptifl therefore, when the Pubhcans addrcfl: tO lum for Infirudion, Maj/er, What jhallwe 'tlo ? faid to them, ExaEl no. more tban 1vbat is appointed you~· And to tbe Soldiers he /aid Do Vtolence to no Man, neither accufe a'P' falfl;; and be content wi th y our liVages: He warn; ~~d's~fii~~~ ,~:r~i~:~~:U'~ ~~~l~i. ·~~::t:~b~ ~~c;:;~;~ ~~~~~~i~[, ';~;~t~~~:r:~~~~ifid~: fomc Calhngs, and the Sins that evidently attend them. , The Sacred Callin~ of MiniO:cr~ does nor 1ecure them f~om Temptations ; bur fuch is the Corn~ption of rhcu ~carts, and of the World, that u expofcs them to dangerous T emptatwns. The Dcv!l fcalcs us on the Temple-fide, and often gets Polfeilion of our H ea rts. Miniftcrs are often guilty of a fpintl efs formality in the managing Holy T htngs. In the compofing of Sermons, the Mwd is excrcifcd about the Matter Order, and Expreilions, without Holy Affections fnitablc to Divine Truths : partly, becaufc f~om Cufl:om the mofi. _fol~mn and concerning Things pafs. throu~h the Sont without fcnous Regard and A~phcanon ; and partly, becaufc the Mtniftcnal Office obliging us to furnifl1 our fclves with the knowledge of the admirable Myllcrics of Godlinds for the InflruChon of others, we arc apt to make that rhc only End of our Studies· like Vintners that buy grear' quantities of \Vine for falc,. and nor for their own ufe. Thcrc is nor in many Minifters a fpark of that Heavenly Fire which the reAexive Meditation on Spiritual and Eternal Truths infpires into ·the Soul, which our Saviour came to kindle. Their Knowledge is not lively and operative, but like a Winter's Sun that Jhines without vital Heat. If they are inricl\d with rare Talents, they arc apt to prophane that Holy Ordinance of Preaching, by fecret Aims and Delires of Vain-glory : The Temptation is more dangerous, becauiC eO:ecm and praife for lntclled:ual Excellencies that arc peculiar to Man, and wherein the Eminence of his Nature confifrs, is very pleafmg1 cvp1eo thofe who are of an unfpottcd Converfation, and free from Carnal Pollutions. H•b" ,.;m Chryfof/om confclfcs of himfelf, That when he preach'd to a thin Auditory, his Words mulri rudovim dy'd on his LiP._S, and hi_s Sp~r~t was quencl~'d; but when he, wa~ encompafs'd w~th anuruandam u.- mcrous full AlTembly, lusSpmt was enflamd, and he breath d F1re. _The attenuon and a~~od~~e~~ applaufeof the Hearers, the reg~rding one another with Wonder, as tf never M~n fpa.kc ~Jr~~·f:%~1: ~f~~~~;,;~;~~~~?tisnfn~~~~,~~r~i!!;~~s~f ~~cl ':!a~~w:;;;:~~~~~~i'i,y'~f,:~~~r~;;~~ :~~; titudine audi· injudicious Auditors, arc curious to befpangle thci.r Difcourfes with li~ht Orna~en~s, ro ;,~'£f~q~~r~ t!~~;caff'sl~~~,:~1 ~a~~~~~~ila~~ ~hep~~~f: Chnft and him Crucifie , in a Snlc d1fiant Another Temptation attendmg that Holy Calling is, from Human Pafiions, wluc!l Minif1ers often bring up into the Pulpit with tl~cm, and with a counterfeit Zeal vent rhc1r Animolities againO: chofe of whom they are Jealous,. as diminifhing their fccular In.rc~ re!ls. God under rhc Law feverely forbids the offcrmg up Sacrifices by common F1rc, bur only by Ccleftial, rhat was prefcrved Day and Night upon the Altar by the Priefl<: 'tis fymbolical , that the reprehenfion of Smncrs by the Servants of God, fl10uld not be expreft with heat of Anger againft their Perfons, but withholyZcal; that Love tothelt Souls fl1ould be t he pure Motive of the fcvercft Rebukes. Laftly, The great danger is, Jell Minillcrs have a rcfpect more to the temporal Re· ward of their Office, than the divine End of it. Therefore St. Peter w1th that Solcm- ' ~" · 5 . ,; l· nity enjoins Evangelical Pallors, to feed the Flock of God, taking the IJ'Uerjight them f, not by conf/raint, but willingly; not for filthy Lucre, but of a readr 111md: Neztlm toafl '' Lords O'UerGod s l:feritage, but to be Enfamples to the Flock. T1s true, .the Labourer IS 1 Cor. 9 . r r. worthy of his Reward ; and if we fow Spiritualll~i,n~s, is it a great Matter (as tb~ ~ pofl:lc faith) if we reapyour carnal lbi~g,.s ? Bur rho tJS nam~al an? regul ar ~o e2t to hie, yet to live to cat is prodigioufly brunfh ; fo 'tis a_ mo~ guilty vtle IntentiOn ro u f~ rhc Sacred Mininry for obtaining. fccular Things. Tlus \nll corrupt the H~ art, and !under the difcharging the Office w!th SiiiCCriry and Conft ancy : For rhe End 1S rhc ~~~;;:;~
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